This is my first REAL fanfic so any advice or wisdom would be welcome! I hope you guys like it and if you have any pointers just let me know. All suggestions welcome. I can only get better! And if I do get worse then at least I will have someone to blame. Mwahaha. Just joking, or am I?

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Confidently, Hermione Granger strode through Kings Cross Station on the 1st of September. The summer had been an interesting one at that. Her parents had been busy at work all summer so she had spent most of her time curled up with a book or else writing letters to her two best friends Ron and Harry.

That wasn't to say that the holidays were uneventful. On the contrary Hermione Granger had changed. She now was and felt like a woman. Her body had matured over the hot holiday weeks. She now had a rather large chest and a lovely hour glass shaped figure. Her curls were now defined rather than a large frizzy cat sitting on her head. It would be a lie to say that she wasn't proud of her new body.

Making sure that Crookshanks was nestled safely in his basket she leant casually against the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Within seconds she had passed through the barrier to platform nine and three quarters.

There was a lot of chaos on platform. Owls hooting, cats hissing, parents saying goodbye to their children and Hermione thought that she could just make out the hearty croak of Trevor, Neville's freedom searching toad.

Slowly she made her way through the bustling crowd to an empty compartment down at the end of the train. Glancing at the people around her she noticed familiar faces. "Hi Parvati!" squealed Hermione as she caught sight of one of the Gryffindor girls in her dormitory. "Hi Padma," Hermione said as she caught sight of Parvati's sister.

"Hi Hermione," chorused the twins back at her. Oh my goodness Dean has grown a meter over the holidays thought Hermione as she passed a dark skin boy in her year which now towered above the crowd. Hagrid had better watch out, she thought with a giggle as she heaved her trunk up the stairs on to a carriage.

"Need a hand Hermione?" two identical, freckly boys chimed from the inside of the carriage.

"Yes please!" Hermione said looking up into their matching faces. Together the three of them managed to get her enormous trunk up the carriage stairs and into a nearby luggage rack.

"What do you keep in there?" gasped Fred, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Oh this and that," teased Hermione as she gave Fred and George each a peck on the check for helping her. "Where are Ron and Harry?" Questioned Hermione, as she gathered Crookshanks into her arms.

"Ronniekins," George replied cheekily "Is on the platform saying goodbye to Mum and Dad. Oh look here he is now"

For Ron had indeed arrived. He seemed even ganglier than ever, tripping over his own feet, he stumbled into the carriage. Getting stiffly to his feet he caught sight of her and his mouth fell open.

"Come on Ron, get out of the doorway," said a slightly harassed looking Harry. He shoved him roughly out of the way and said, "Heya Hermione! How was your holiday?"

"Oh fine, fine nothing really happened," replied Hermione.

"Really," muttered Ron in disbelief so quietly she could only just catch the words.

"Ummm should we go and find a carriage," said Hermione rather sheepishly. Turning quickly so that Harry and Ron couldn't see her broad grin she made her way to an almost empty compartment. Although the engines were loud now, she could easily hear the dull thunk as Harry hit Ron sharply over the head to get him to close his gaping hole of a mouth, which now had a little bit of drool hanging out of it.

"See you later Forge and Gred," giggled Hermione as she gave them a probably unnecessarily flirtatious wave over her shoulder.

Sliding open the glass door, Hermione smiled warmly at the only two people sitting in the compartment. Luna Lovegood was sitting with her legs tucked underneath her reading the latest edition of the magazine, The Quibbler. From a glance at the cover Hermione discerned that the main article was about Rufus Scrimgeour being an unregistered animagus, who turned into a lion and ripped apart any competition he had for the role of Minister for Magic.

The other person was Neville Longbottom, a kind but rather forgetful Gryffindor in their year. His sweaty hands were clasped tightly onto his toad Trevor. "Hi Hermione, Harry, Ron." Neville said over the happy croaking of Trevor. For Harry and Ron had just sidled into the compartment behind her.

Ron's ears were crimson, his face down turned. Harry however greeted them enthusiastically, promptly throwing himself down on the vacant seat next to Neville. Hermione seated herself opposite him next to Neville and engaged her in a conversation about the Quibblers latest articles. Hermione had decided to give the Quibbler a chance. She had bought the monthly issues over the holidays and read them. Luna didn't have many if not any friends and Hermione was determined to make her feel welcome.

The trip to Hogwarts went without incident. When the train finally clanged to a halt at Kings Cross Station Ron jumped out of his seat and practically sprinted out of the compartment and off the train. Smirking, Hermione shut Crookshanks into her traveling basket and proceeded along out onto the platform with the rest of the students.

She thought she knew why Ron would not even meet her eyes on the whole train journey. What this would mean for the coming year however, she did not know. Maybe Ronniekins will mature this year she thought fondly, and disembarked the train.

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